1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bicycle having a pedal by which a user can be transported via turning the pedal and, more particularly, an apparatus and method for supporting a pedaled bicycle to a moveable or stationary item.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are given as background only.
There are several different types of bicycles available on the market. The bicycle to which the present support apparatus and method is tailored is that of a lightweight bicycle and, more specifically, a bicycle having pedals for manual propulsion. The bicycle support apparatus is constructed of lightweight material. Therefore, its use is limited to a lightweight, pedaled bicycle, and not a heavy motorized bicycle, such as a motorcycle.
There are numerous types of bicycle support apparatuses available on the market. Those apparatuses range from ones that support a pedaled bicycle, either on a movable object, such as an automobile, or on a stationary object, such as a wall, floor or bench. However, generally speaking, conventional bicycle support apparatuses are not ones that can be mounted on both a movable or stationary object. Nor can conventional bicycle support apparatuses be easily carried between a moveable or stationary mount. Further, typical bicycle support apparatuses cannot easily be placed into a collapsed, low-profile configuration in which a user can easily carry between, store when not in use, or deploy from a collapsed configuration onto moveable or stationary mounts.
Therefore, a need exists for a bicycle support apparatus and method that is lightweight to support a pedaled bicycle, and can support such a bicycle either on a movable or stationary item. Moreover, a further need exists in having a support apparatus that can collapse onto itself for ease of transport from, for example, a moveable object, such as a hitch on an automobile to a stationary object, such as a floor, wall, or bench—and vice-versa. Still further, a need exists for having a bicycle support apparatus that can be mounted on a horizontal or vertical surface, when placed in a stationary position so as to accommodate various types of surfaces on which a user can operate on or clean the bicycle.